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West Saxony
The''' Commonwealth of Wessex, '(''Feğerếad ấf Weseax - Wessen'') more commonly known as '''Wessex, '''is a sovereign state located in Europe, constituting much of the South West of the island of Great Britain. The capital is Brístól, which is also the largest city, located on the north-east coast of the country. Wessex shares a land border only with the United Kingdom to the east, and a maritime border with France to the South. As of 2013, the population of Wessex is over 6,599,000. Wessex is a Directly Democratic Parliamentary Republic, with the oldest established parliament in the world, the Witanegmot, originally established in the 10th century. The Head of State is the Hehiéld while the Head of Government, the Gýlpminnod is democratically elected every 5 years by a first-past-the-post system. Wessex is an active member of the United Nations, and the European Free Trade Agreement. Wessex is not a member of the European Union due to a high level of Euroscepticism. The modern Wessen state found independence from the United Kingdom in 1806, following a Velvet Revolution against British rule since 1657, when a forceful union was formed. The peaceful revoluton led by Egbert Knut led to the acceptance as pacifism as a major part of Wessen society. However, Wessex can trace its formation back to the 6th and 7th centuries, when the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom was established by Cerdic. The Ancient Kingdom of Wessex denied its accession to the Kingdom of England in 927, and continued as an independent state until 1657. Wessex was once the head of a large empire with territories in the Americas, Africa and Asia, however these were lost during the British Conquest. The British planted the seeds of Industrial Revolution, which grew into a thriving economy for Wessex in the late 1800's. The modern Wessen state is established by the Four Principles. The four principles of Freedom, Tolerance, Equality and Peace (Frếona, Lấhaltna, Feğersna, Pấsna). As a result Wessex has a reputation for high gender equality, democracy civil liberties, and pacifism. Wessex's principles have led to a unique ideology within Europe, that was far ahead of its time by the 1800's. Based on Anglo-Saxon gender equality, Wessex has a high equality rating. Gay Marriage has been legal since 1869, amongst the first in the world to legalise it, along with homosexuality. Wessex's liberal and semi-socialist government allows its population many freedoms, with an expressionist culture. Wessex has been ranked as one of the world's most developed countries by the United Nations, with a HDI of 0.916 ranking 7th in world. Etymology The name Wessex is derived from 'West Saxons', who settled the region and formed the ancient Kingdom of Wessex in the 6th century. History Early Wessex According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Wessex was first founded by Cynric and Cerdic in the early 6th century, cheiftans of the Gleiwse Clan who landed on the Hamptúnşire coast. However, the specific events given by the Chronicle are in some doubt: archæological evidence points instead to a considerable early Anglo-Saxon presence in the upper valley of the river Thames, and the Cotswolds area. The centre of gravity of Wessex in the late 6th and early 7th century seems to have lain farther to the north than in later periods, following successful expansion to the south and west. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle has provided much of the information on the early Kingdom of Wessex, however archaeological evidence has found differences in claims. In 519, the westward advance of Wessex was halted at what is now the western border with the United Kingdom. The eastward advance involved the invasion of Dumnonia (now Kernowşire), the homeland of the Celtic Dumnonii tribe. It is clear that neighbouring Kingdom Mercia and Wessex competed for land for as long as Mercia's existence, regularly loosing and capturing land holdings in the Cotswolds and near Bath. During the late 6th century Wessex had the hegemony over of Heptarchy of Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms, following the conquest of much of Southern Mercia and the Jutes on the Isle of Wight. This continued until the late 9th century when the ruling dynasty had a firm lineage. Viking Raids during the rule of Egbert, which led to the invasion and ousting of Egbert in favour of Alfred the Great, who led Wessex to victory, pushing back Viking Invaders from Southern Britain. In the late of 9th century, the Danish Army began swarming the Kingdoms of Northumbria and East Anglia, following their ousting from Southern England. During this period, Alfred carried out great reformations of the Wessex's government and the construction of warships organising the Wessen army. The Danish conquests had destroyed Northumbria and Anglia, and decreased Mercia by half. The Danish Forces were once again repelled. Alfred reformed the administration of justice, issued a new law code and championed a revival of scholarship and education. He gathered scholars from around England and elsewhere in Europe to his court, and with their help translated a range of Latin texts into Old English (soon to become Wessen), doing much of the work in person, and orchestrated the composition of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Even after the repell of the Great Heathen Army from Denmark, English kingdoms continued to be attack by Danish settlers. Between 913 and 918 a series of English offensives overwhelmed the Danes of Mercia and East Anglia, bringing all of England south of the Thames under King Edward of Wessex's power. Mercia and those Kingdoms north of the humber, stated that thenceforce there would be only one Kingdom of the English, Wessex however disagreed with this view, leading to the conquest of Wessex, and the loss of South Eastern England. The conflict ended in a stalemat and left Wessex independent from the Kingdom of England formed in 927. Societal and Technological developed ran at a similar pace to Englands between the 10th and 15th century, and on some accords even shared discoveries. Wessen Empire and Expansion During the Age of Discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal and Spain pioneered European exploration of the globe, and in the process established large overseas Empires. Envious of the great wealth that they gained from these empires, England, France and the Netherlands began to establish colonies and trade networks, followed by Wessex. Under the rule of Alfred III, Jón Agbert was comissioned to explore to America, which had been discovered by John Cabot comissioned by Henry VII of England in 1497. Agbert landed on Newfoundland (Niwofingelend) in 1499 (mistakenly believing, like Christopher Columbus, he had discovered Asia), an attempted was made to begin a colony there, this became known as Alfredburg, in honour of Alfred III. This was the first colony is what what to then become Canada. Shipping began to cross the Atlantic between Bristol and Alfredburg, laden with treasures from the New World. The prosperity and success from the first colony, led to further colonisation of the region, with expansion to Summerset Isle of the coast from Niwofingelend in 1517. By this time Spain had established trade routes and fortresses across the Americas, Asia and Africa, while England trailed behind other European powers on overseas colonies, which led to the beginning of tensions between England and Wessex, envious of Wessex's sucess in its overseas colonies. Trade routes in Asia and Africa began to crop up, with Wessex prospering greatly, as colonies and forts were placed in South East Asia by 1520. Union with Britain The success Wessex was having, and the acession of Henry VIII to the throne of England increased tensions between Wessex and England to breaking point, Henry VIII ordered the Conquest of Wessex in 1532, as England's 'rightful land.' Wessex however fighting valiantly to repell the English invasion, was forced to surrender in June of 1532. A forceful Union for forged between Wessex and England, and Wessex's colonial empire was officially handed over to England. The union created the Earldom of Wessex, which functioned as a political unit of England, a client state. The Earl of Wessex was a member of the English royal family appointed by the monarch. Wessex, which had been largely ignored by the spread of Christianity with as little 20% of the population actually practicing Christinaity, was Anglicised during the union, with English becoming the most widespread language, and the introduction of the Church of England. Although many Wessen stayed loyal to their Pagan faith. Many Wessens worked on English colonial vessels, and many left for colonies, leading to a large Wessen diaspora as early as 1600. The union with Britain continued relatively unhindered due to fear struck into Wessens by the imposing English army presence, however the 16th and 17th centuries saw the rise of Wessen nationalism, several repeals for the Act of Union, and a failed rebellion in 1797, however as English rule transitioned to British rule, the dominion stayed. Wessen Rebellion In 1797 the failed rebellion, led to dismay over independence and Wessen nationalism, however a rebellion led by Egbert Knut rallied surprisingly large support due to the principles involved. Egbert Knut marched to London in August of 1805, gathering followers and mercenaries, upon reaching London Knut's wishes of a velvet revolution were ended when the English forces confronted them at the Battle of the Thames, near Oxford. The battle consisted of six days of suppressed insurrection, spilling out in London and Bristol aswell as mass protests on both sides. The Rebellion ended with the declaration of the Kingdom of Wessex, which began a series of armed conflicts ending with Wessex's recognition by the United Kingdom. The armed conflict was the opposite of what Knut had intended the rebellion to be based on, leading to the adoption of pacifism in an attempt for such as tragedy to never happen again. On the 12th February 1806, Wessex was officially made independent. Later the same day the first official meeting of the Witanegmot convened, and made Knut the interim Gylpminnod. Knut was later elected after forming the Social Liberal Party of Wessex in the first elections. Modern Wessex Politics Government Wessex is a Directly Democratic Parliamentary Republic, with the Head of State consisting of the Hehiéld (Highelder) of Wessex. The Hehiéld has a largely ceremonial role. The Head of Government is the Gýlpminnod, who togeher with their cabinet, forms the Executive Arm of the government. The Gýlpminnod is elected every 5 years by the General Election, in a first-past-the-post system. Whichever party gains the most seats in the Witanegmot, will have their electoral candidate be elected to office. The legislative arm consists of the bicameral Witanegmot. The upper house, the Sélé ếf Iéldran (House of Elders) consists of 35 appointed Iéldra (Elders) which discuss pressing matters in several fields of Wessen society. These members are chosen for their excellence in certain fields. There are six areas of discussion and expertise in the upper house, these are; Science and Technology, Politics, Finance, Human Rights and Law, the People and Culture. The lower house of the Witanegmot is the Sélé ếf Maód (House of Assembly). The lower house consists of 127 elected representatives from each of the constituencies of Wessex, and 5 appointed members. Currently the Social Liberal Party of Wessex holds the majority after the 2013 election. The Witanegmot is the oldest established parliament in the world, dating back to ancient Wessex, and continuing through Wessex's time under union with Britain. Members of the Witanegmot are collectivelly known as Witana, and individually known as Witan. Direct Democracy Wessex has a form of Direct Democracy, where citizens of the nation have the right to submit a constitutional initiative and a referendum, which can overturn parliamentary decisions. Due to the small size of Wessex the current direct democratic system has been praised due to it's efficiency. By calling a referendum to the parliament, a citizen, or a group of citizens can challenge a law or policy that had been debated or passed by parliament. A group of citizens must gather atleast 1,000 signatures againt or for a policy or law within 100 days and they may submit this referendum, and a national vote will be held, and a simple majority will decide whether to accept or decline the referendum. Similarly, a citizen or group of citizens may submit a civil constitutional initiative, allows citizens to put a national amendment to a national vote, if they can gain 10,000 signatures, to the proposed amendment within 1 year. Parliament may counter or aid in this voting process. Shire Meetings, or ''Şiremaód, ''are held yearly in most shires to outline the Shire Council's policies for the next year which are held to a popular vote. Foreign Relations Typically, Wessex pursues a policy of neutrality alongside pacifism towards Foreign Relations, however is a member of several key international organisations. Wessex is a member of the United Nations, European Free Trade Agreement, International Development Bank, and the European Space Agency. Wessex however has alwasy had a bad relationship with the United States, particularly since the 20th century. Wessex strongly opposes the United State's foreign policies, described as Invasive and unjust. Armed Forces Wessex's policies of pacifism only permit Wessex to have Self Defence Forces, these forces cannot be deployed abroad, and cannot be used in an offensive without dire need. Wessex has only ever been in two major conflicts, the Wessen Rebellion, and World War II, following the Bristol Blitz, and its pledging of troops for the allies. The Wessen Self Defence Forces consist of the National Air Corps of Wessex, the National Ground Forces of Wessex and the National Maritime Force of Wessex. The Armed Forces are large enough to defend the country from attack, however not for a large foreign offensive. Administrative Divisions Wessex's territory is divided three geographic regions, which have no administrative power. Shires or ''Şires ''have administrative power. Shires are then divided into Títhings which are governed by a community council. Tithings has very little power, and usaully consists of towns, villages or collections of towns or villages. Metropolitan counties, such as Avonshire, are divided into Districts. Shires are governed by a Shire Council Geography Physical Geography Wessex consists of the South West Peninsula of the Isle of Great Britain in Western Europe. separated from Britain by a land border and the Bristol Channel across from Wales. The nation has a long coastline, most of which is under protection due to it's archaeological importance, with the Jurassic Coast in Dorset being a major source of Prehistoric fossils. The east of the region is characterised by wide, flat clay vales and chalk and limestone downland. The vales, with good irrigation, are home to the region's dairy agriculture. Somerset Levels was created by reclaiming wetlands, located only 6 feet above sea level, the levels formerly separated Glastonbury from mainland Great Britain in the 7th Millenium BC. The Southern British Chalk Formation extends into Wessex, creating a series of high, sparsely populated and archaeologically rich downs, most famously Salisbury Plain, but also Cranborne Chase, the Dorset Downs and the Purbeck Hills, aswell as lowlands such as the Mendip Hills. These downs are the principal area of arable agriculture in Wessex. Flora and Fauna Animal and Planet diversity is modest, considering Wessex's small area, and the island of Great Britain's small area. Rodents make up 40% of the Island of Great Britain's wild mammal species. These include, Squirrels, Mice, Voles, Badgers and Rats. Wessex also has an abundance of rabbits, hares, hedgehogs, moles, and several species of Bat. Carniverous mammals include the Badger, Fox, Otter, Weasel and Stoat. Several species of Whale, Dolphin, and Seal are found around the Wessen, of which Bottlenose Dolphins are the most common. The largest land-based wild animals in Wessex are currently Deer. The deer population is mostly made up of Red Deer, Roe Deer, and Fallow Deer. The deer has been named Wessex's 'favourite animal' due to it's commoness.The largest biodiversity sector is Birdlife, with over 500 common species in Wessex and the British Isles. The most prominent of these are Pigeons, Sea Gulls, Sparrows, Ducks, Pheasants, and many numerous species of Gull, Owl, and Finches, aswell as the most common bird of prey in Wessex, the Buzzard. Less numerous species are that of Grouse, Eagle and Doves Climate Wessex has an Oceanic classified climate, and experiences cool winters with warmer summers and relatively high levels of precipitation all year round. Annual rainfall is approximately from 1,000 millimetres to 2,000 millimetres. Inland areas of low altitude experience the least amount of precipitation. They experience the highest summer maximum temperatures, but winter minimum are colder than the coast. Snowfalls are more frequent in comparison to the coast, but less so in comparison to higher ground, however Snowfall is largely rare. Areas of moorland inland such as: Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor and Exmoor experience lower temperatures and more precipitation than the rest of Wessex. In comparison to inland areas, the coast experiences high minimum temperatures, especially in winter, and it has slightly lower maximum temperatures in the summer. Rainfall is the lowest at the coast and snowfall is rarer than the rest of the region. Coastal areas are the windiest parts of Wessex, and they receive the most sunshine. The average temperature for Summers in Wessex is atleast 19 Degress Celsius, while in Winter the average temperature is around 4 to 5 Degress Celsius, however it can reach as low as -3 Degress Celsius. The highest every recorded temperature in Wessex was in 1976, the hottest summer on record in both Wessex and the United Kingdom, with a temperature of 35.9 Degrees Celsius at its maximum, and no rain for 45 days. Economy ''See Main: Economy of Wessex Wessex is a major developed nation, and is notable for having the ninth highest Gross Domestic Product Per Capita in the world at ¥94,552 (£46,261). Wessex also has the seventh highest Human Development Index in the world, and has been ranked as one of the most developed nations in the world by the United Nations. Wessex's currency, the Yeo, has an exchange rate of ¥0.5 to £1. The highest percentage of Wessex's GDP is the Service Industry and Quaternary Industry, accounting for over 66%, followed by the Production industry with 28% and 5% agriculture. Some of Wessex's most propserous and notable companies include Clarks Shoes and Avalon Motors, which are also major international brands. Despite its economic prosperity, the government sees the happiness and welfare of its people as a first priority, with attempts to share out the wealth and services such as the National Health Service (NHS), and Welfare Systems put in place. Wessex was one of the first countries to industrialise, after the United Kingdom, between 1806 and 1900. This led to a developed economy in the late 1900's moving on to focus on Tertiary and Quaternary industries with fewer focus on Primary and Secondary industries. However Secondary Industries including Shipbuilding, Automobile manufacturing are still thriving in the country. Brístól and Sǘthamptún are the main industrial centres of Wessex. Infrastructure Healthcare Health in Wessex is provided by the National Health Service of Wessex, which is funded by the taxpayer, and free at time of usage for universal healthcare. The NHS takes its organisational structure from the British National Health Service, and has become one of the best in the World for patient care. Education Education in Wessex is provided by the state, and is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education. Most schools in Wessex have gained Academy status, meaning they hve more power to make independent decisions whilst still funded by the taxpayers, aswell as grants from the government, and some of the best schools in the country are academies, including Huish Episcopi Secondary School ranked 1st. Wessex has also gained its fame for the University of Oxford, which is among the most prestigious universities in the world. Science and Technology Transport Communications Wessex has a somewhat advanced communications service, the most telecommunication services provided by UK companies such as O2 and Orange, whilst Vocal is one of the only Wessen and Cornish providers. Fiberoptic Internet has been available across the country since 2010. Wireless Internet is available throughout the country, mostly provided by Sky, Virgin Media and Vocal (owned by National Telecommunications). Culture See Main: Culture of Wessex Wessex culture has had a significant influence on other cultures. Alongside mainstream Western culture, Wessex has strong cultural traditions fuelled by its long heritage. Despite its Anglicisation in the late 1700's Wessex has made many attempts to revive its traditions resulting in a multi-lingual, multi-cultural and multi-religious society. Wessex shares many cultural similarities with the United Kingdom, such as Rugby, Association Football, the English Language and societal structure. A large proportion of Wessen cultural traditions are influenced by the Pagan faith, as Wessex is the only country in the world where Paganism has a large following and survival. One of the most accepted ethics of Wessex is 'do as you will, as long as you cause no harm', which originated from Paganism. Language See Also: Wessen Language Wessex's official and native language is Wessen, which is spoken natively by over 89% of the population, while over 76% of the population report the ability to speak English. This is largely due to the spread of English during the 16th and 19th centuries and close cultural ties with the United Kingdom. Most Media Outlets, Signs, Information Notices, and Products are in Wessen and English. Citizens have the right to deal with the government in English, Wessen and Cornish. In schools there is an emphasis on having English as a second language.. Cornish is a recognised minority language, and is spoken by over 3,000 people in Cornwall natively. Religion Before the 16th century Wessex had done little to embrace Christianity and Anglo-Saxon Druidism remained the dominant religion. The British Occupation, however brought Christianity and the English language into the everyday life. However despite still the majority beliefs are Neo-Druidism and Atheism/Agnosticism. Wessex is the only country in the world where Paganism has a large majority. During the Union with Britain many Cathedrals and Churches were built, in an effort to convert more to Christianity, that today have either been abandoned or have low attendance. As per the 2013 census, 35% of the population classify themselves as having No Religion or being an Atheist, a further 30% classify themselves as having Pagan or Neo-Druid beliefs, 30% as being Christian, 2% Islam, 0.5% Jewish, and 1.5% other. Music Wessex's diverse culture and societal status constitutes a variety of musical genres that is accepted by the population at large. The most predominant however is the Alternative Rock and Indie Rock genres. Both Wessen-language music and English-language imports are preferred mostly by both the younger and older generations. Wessen Alternative Rock is largely influenced by modern post-hardcore and alternative British and European rock music. In many urban areas, Electronic Dance music has taken a foothold in popular music styles. Wessex is well known for its music industry, producing both English and Wessen language music. Major popular Wessen bands include Foals, Don Broco, Radiohead, Ellie Goulding, Goldfrapp, Canterbury, Eldrine Maddan, Edwin, SixNationState, Fránk Turner, The Wurzéls, and Iwán Rosewarne. Wessex is world renowned for its festival and concert culture, in the early summer months there is usually a major music festival every fortnight. Wessex also holds the worlds largest music festival, Glastonbury Festival yearly, attracting both local and international visitors in the millions. Media Wessex's diverse culture has led to a variety of media outlets in Television, Radio, Newspapers and Magazines. According the 2011 Census, the most used media outlets were Television and Newspapers, and 98% of the population own atleast one television. 97% of the population watch Television for atleast half an hour a day, and 85% listen to the radio for fifteen minutes a day. The public broadcaster of Wessex is the Radío Télédu Weseax, four television channels, of which two are in English, and one in Wessen, as well as 5 radio stations. RTW is also the main news outlet, alongside the Daily Post. Cuisine Perhaps the most famous and signature dish of Wessex is the Ploughmans Lunch, which consits of bread, cheeses, vegetables and often meats. Cheddar Cheese originated in Cheddar, Sumorsấtşire where it is matured in the Cheddar Gorge, the cheese is perhaps the world's most common cheese. The Pasty and Stargazy Pie are also signature dishes associated with Wessex originating in Defnaşire and Kernowekşire. Sport Category:Wessex (2013) Category:Falloutfan08's Stuff